On Sunday morning, June 23, 2013, a small group of seven cousins attending the Minerd-Minard-Miner-Minor Reunion – having traveled from Ohio, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania – gathered to pray for each other and agreed to pray for the family at large over the coming year.

Kerry Fraas, a dear friend of the family with decades of roots in The Pittsburgh Experiment, led us in this conversation. Kerry, a lawyer, shared his story about changes that came to his life after regular prayer with family members with whom he was in conflict. 

We agreed that God calls us to regular prayer about all the things in life that matter to us, most especially our families, in good times and otherwise. This "experiment" we are trying is not about being religious or church-y but rather about an honest, authentic and personal conversation with God as you know Him, giving Him control over the things that concern you most.

The group agreed to advise the broad family about this unique opportunity to be prayed for, and/or to pray for each other. If you wish to be involved, please contact me privately and your name will be shared with the rest of the group, but otherwise kept completely private. Any needs that are expressed should primarily be family related, and are to be kept entirely in confidence.

Here’s what we ask you to agree to:

• Pray regularly, even daily, for each other.

• Simply lift each other’s needs to God and ask Him to work His will.

• Accept each other as-is, warts and all, as we enter into the process.

• Honestly share our struggles, frustrations and pain as well as successes.

• Be candid in describing worries and concerns, even if it means being a little vulnerable.

• Pay attention to every need expressed.

• Be un-critical when others share a need, and don’t try to "fix" or "judge."

• Never, ever offer advice, unless specifically asked.

• Trust that everything posted is kept strictly confidential.

• Choose to be completely silent, if desired.

Should this prayer experiment appeal to you, please enter into this prayer experiment with the family at large.